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Steven Soderbergh is Working Second Unit for 'The Hunger Games'

Wait, really? Yea, apparently it's true. Our friends over at The Playlist deserve all the credit for uncovering this, as they followed some intriguing tweets over the weekend from crew members working on Gary Ross' adaptation of The Hunger Games. "Holy shit! Just found out that Steven Soderbergh is coming to the #hungergames to direct 2nd Unit," one of them (since deleted) said. It is true but it's not as surprising as we're all—obviously—making this out to be. "Ross and Soderbergh have actually been friends for years," Playlist's Kevin Jagernauth says. Still, it's kind of awesome to know Soderbergh will have his hands in this.

Soderbergh produced Gary Ross' Pleasantville, and the two often look at each others' scripts. They also have a connection in a common production designer, the one currently working on Hunger Games, named Phil Messina. Honestly, this is only the second time we've ever reported news on a second unit director, the first being Andy Serkis with The Hobbit. Maybe it's just that a big name director is doing second unit work, or maybe it's that we're learning about this while it's happening, and not reading about it in the credits after its released. Either way, it is actually interesting knowing that Soderbergh's doing second unit work for this.

Despite saying a few years ago he was almost ready to retire, Soderbergh seems to be working his ass off recently. He's already finished with both Contagion for Warner Bros and Haywire for Relativity, set to be released within a few months of each other. He's also set to direct that Liberace movie and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. coming up, but with a little free-time, why not do some second unit directing for a friend? I'm personally a huge fan of Soderbergh, not only as a filmmaker, but I love his style, too. The Hunger Games, written & directed by Gary Ross, stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks. Production is underway now, as Lionsgate has the movie set for release on March 23rd next year.

Reader Feedback - 4 Comments

Cool now I have to see it because of Soderbergh and I had decided to never see it.

Loser on Aug 5, 2011

2

Sounds like you don't stick to your decision making very well.

Jace on Aug 5, 2011

3

Sounds cool. Sooo... can anyone explain to me what a second unit is? Really.

Mr. Foe on Aug 5, 2011

4

The second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors. Second unit footage typically includes establishing shots, close-ups, inserts, and cutaways. They direct all (most) of the shots for a movie not involving primary actors.